The Men Who Stare at Goats.. The Dude Abides…

Well, I finally got around to seeing “The Men Who Stare at Goats” and I have to say I liked it quite a bit. It was odd, quirky, and it turns out as it says in the beginning of the film “more of this is true than you might think”

First, lets talk about the film…

The script, based on the book and documentary series was well done. The characters were rather well defined and the dialog flowed well, with an easy rapport between Ewan McGreggor and Clooney as they talked about such looney concepts as being a modern “jedi” warrior.

The acting was good and I especially loved to see Jeff Bridges back in the saddle of a “Dude” like character again. He was subdued in this film and really emoted sadness well as the defunct leader of an enlightened military unit working for the “dark side” in the second Iraq war.

Speaking of “The Dark Side” the whole play on Star Wars was for me, an excellent tongue in cheek play by the writers. The whole scene where Clooney is telling McGreggor about being a “Jedi” was hilarious if only for the fact that McGreggor had recently come off of playing Obi Wan himself. Ironic and funny.

Now lets talk about the reality…

After seeing the film, I did some Googling and the reality here is odd enough that I have to mention it. It seems that this is loosely based on real people, events, and a military expedition of sorts into the strange.

What really struck me was that indeed there was a “Jedi Project” where certain martial arts techniques were taught to the “jedi” to make them.. well, a Ninja team. Whats more, the movie shows that some of the techniques from this new age squad were perverted to use as torture techniques, or PSI ops against Iraqi prisoners of war. Once you look into the reality side, you will see that the movie alludes to reality once again…